abandoned house - law

Man of Honour
Joined
28 Nov 2007
Posts
12,736
Does anyone know if a house which is privately owned but unoccupied must be kept in a habitable state? There is a house near me which is secure but unliveable and the owner isn't doing anything to fix it up. (there are no floors inside etc.)

I would like to understand the law on this. I wouldn't mind seeing it improved or may be buying it to renovate and would like to put a fire under the owner if poss. My google skills have failed me! Thanks
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jan 2008
Posts
11,024
Perhaps they're waiting for finance and redeveloping it? Could be in the process of being sold on to someone too.

As long as it's secure I can't see the problem. maybe they need a notice that it's structually unsafe if that's the case.
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
33,073
No, of course not. How is the condition of his privately owned house a concern of anyone but the owner of the property?
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Jan 2008
Posts
11,024
What about if a burglar breaks into the house and hurts himself while in the house. Won't the owner be liable for violating the burglar's human rights?

I hope the burglar would be liable for being an arse. However, I would not be at all suprised if the owner could be sued, such is the society we live in today.
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Dec 2005
Posts
12,488
Location
Bath
There is some law but I don't know what it is. (Yes I know that's a great help.)

There's a property down in the city centre that someone bought and wanted to convert it to XYZ business use (pub/bar I think). Never got planning permission despite trying for years. They let the place get into a right state but were refusing to spend a penny on it until they could get the planning permission they wanted. Recently the council have made them put a new roof on it as it was in such a state, but still haven't given planning permission for business use so it's still sitting there empty (but with a decent roof on it).
 

M0T

M0T

Soldato
Joined
23 Aug 2003
Posts
4,582
Location
House
There is some kind of law but I dont really know too much about it. All I know is that there is a house down our road that has been unoccupied for 20 years and was a complete mess (there was a car under about 10ft of grass/weeds/hedges).

A couple of years ago it became eligible for the council to repossess so they sent off the required letters and within a couple of weeks someone turned up cleared the garden and put a few new windows in and now its being left again.

Apparently the ownership of the house is under dispute, the original owner died and the 2 children are locked in some kind of legal battle and are apparently just waiting for the other one to die off so they can inherit the whole place.
 
Man of Honour
OP
Joined
28 Nov 2007
Posts
12,736
There is some kind of law but I dont really know too much about it. All I know is that there is a house down our road that has been unoccupied for 20 years and was a complete mess (there was a car under about 10ft of grass/weeds/hedges).

A couple of years ago it became eligible for the council to repossess so they sent off the required letters and within a couple of weeks someone turned up cleared the garden and put a few new windows in and now its being left again.

Apparently the ownership of the house is under dispute, the original owner died and the 2 children are locked in some kind of legal battle and are apparently just waiting for the other one to die off so they can inherit the whole place.

That's interesting, it's a similar situation as I understand it. It's been 25 years in this case too.
 
Associate
Joined
16 Feb 2009
Posts
1,505
Ok guys, In terms of Planning, the Planning Enforcement team can serve a Section 215 Notice of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) which deals with the above problem. However this is only done at extremes eg when:

A notice can be served on the owner or occupier of any private land or building which is in an unreasonably untidy condition and which the Council consider has an adverse affect on the amenity of the area. The Notice puts a charge on the land or property and specifies what needs to be done to correct the situation within a given timescale. It is an offence not to comply with the notice within the specified period.

See a link here:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/publications/planningandbuilding/derelictland

Your best bet is to phone your Council's Planning Enforcement Team

Borich
 
Man of Honour
OP
Joined
28 Nov 2007
Posts
12,736
No, of course not. How is the condition of his privately owned house a concern of anyone but the owner of the property?

That's a failry emphatic view, is it based on anything? I know there is law regarding this, I'm just trying to figure out what it is.

iirc the roof has to be in sound condition.

that makes sense, the roof has been done (and only the roof) so may be he has addressed issues within the law.

Umm, whats it got to do with you?

Nice attitude and thanks for your help. Do you always contribute this much, I will remember to look out for your posts.

There are several reasons I would like to motivate the owner in to do something (or me getting the opportunity to do it, or someone else). It is not well secured and is a potential source of access to my property and it looks horrible and could deflate the value of my property.
 
Man of Honour
OP
Joined
28 Nov 2007
Posts
12,736
Ok guys, In terms of Planning, the Planning Enforcement team can serve a Section 215 Notice of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) which deals with the above problem. However this is only done at extremes eg when:

A notice can be served on the owner or occupier of any private land or building which is in an unreasonably untidy condition and which the Council consider has an adverse affect on the amenity of the area. The Notice puts a charge on the land or property and specifies what needs to be done to correct the situation within a given timescale. It is an offence not to comply with the notice within the specified period.

See a link here:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/publications/planningandbuilding/derelictland

Your best bet is to phone your Council's Planning Enforcement Team

Borich


Brilliant, thanks very much, exactly what I needed.:) Always nice to have someone who actually knows what they are talking about make a contribution and rare in GD!
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2004
Posts
13,059
Location
Nottingham
The people you should speak to are environmental health, most councils have "Open and derelict housing" legislation that in certain cases (its occurred a lot in Notts) the council will Compulsory purchase the offending eyesore or apply pressure via the above planning legislation to get the owner to sort it out.

To all the posters giving it "what's is to you", unless you have ever lived near a derelict house you can have no appreciation of the problems they can cause to the neighbourhood, from increased crime to reduced house prices. They are an eyesore and should be stopped as soon as they can.


link to goggle
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Op...s=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Oct 2004
Posts
9,086
Location
Berkland
Hmm, you could get the council involved. IIRC from watching the polotics show, the council can force an order on the owner to hand it over to them so they can do it up and rent it out on behalf of the landlord, almost making it a council home. I can't remember what it is for the life of me though. It was called something similar to an ASBO. lol

Edit:

A bit of googling finds this stuff....

http://www.themovechannel.com/news/3f91b2f7-ffe9/

CPO's or 'Compulsory purchase orders'
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom